To Dwell in Hell
Prologue
?~?~?~?
The cold autumn zephyr hit Malachi's face with intensity. He'd been raised here. On the last place anyone would ever want to be. HÃthia; the dead planet formally known as earth. No one knew that the last surviving group was there. No one cared. They were presumed dead.
Malachi was barely two years old when they came. When they came, destruction followed. They didn't even have a formal name. Some people called them 'Stalkers', some called them 'Creatures', but they were usually known as 'Hybrids'. The Hybrids swept over earth causing global panic. Some of the more wealthy people escaped to space, leaving everyone else behind.
No one even knew where they came from. That's probably because the only survivors were children that ranged from one to nineteen years of age. Some of the younger children thought they were from space and had come to enslave the earth like in the weekly Saturday Night Sci-fi flicks they saw on television. Others, thought a mad scientist created them. There was no way to prove either fact.
The Hybrids were known for one thing, shape-shifting. They got better and better as they went on, making it nearly impossible to make sure that the person you are holding a conversation with isn't a stalker in disguise. The only thing they couldn't conceal even if they tried is their ears. They were always elfin in shape if they were in human form. Other than that they were amazingly good at imitating humans. Their original form was that of any ordinary animal. They could only transform into living creatures making humans their main form.
Malachi looked forward into the golden wheat field. The sun was beginning to set over the hills in the distance. He panicked when thinking of not getting home in time and pushed back the auburn hair from his face. His jade eyes glanced back and forth. The coast was clear. It was now or never. He leapt from his hiding-place and raced in a frenzied sprint toward the farthest hill. He was nearly there when he tripped on a small rock. He lay still for a moment making sure that he was still alone. He felt eyes watching him. He quickly got up and raced to the hill. He climbed it and ran down the other side. He breathed in a sigh of relief when he saw the rotten barn a few yards away, but he didn't stop running. He knocked on the sliding door and was completely out of breath.
"Who's there?" a voice from the other side whispered.
"Malachi, *pant* open up!" he stuttered out looking around nervously.
"Can I trust that?" the voice said suspiciously.
"Yes! JUST OPEN UP!"
"Password."
Malachi sighed and glared at the door. "Caleb rules. NOW OPEN UP CALEB!" Malachi said hurriedly. The eyes that have been watching him for a while seemed to be coming closer. The door made random sounds while being unlocked and opened. Malachi rushed inside and slammed the door behind him. He locked it in every way possible. Caleb snickered and looked over at Malachi.
"Rough time out there kiddo?" Caleb said and patted the distraught runners back.
"I'm not a kiddo! I'm only younger than you by a year. Stop treating me like shit." Malachi huffed and walked over to the ladder connecting to the loft.
"Well someone's a bit angry today." Caleb said and scratched his blonde hair. His hazel eyes shifted to the cellar doors. "I'll be in the basement with the others. You on guard duty now?"
"Sure. Who's back from the hunt?" Malachi said and blinked drowsily.
"Francesca and Malcolm are back. They brought three rabbits and a squirrel. Drew still needs to come back. You catch anything?"
"No. I brought back berries and I found an abandon garden over by Chastity's Ridge. It had a few heads of lettuce and I got some turnips." Malachi said softly and pulled the items from his pack.
"That's good. We always need some greens. Throw 'em here and I'll put them in storage." Caleb said and held his hands out. Malachi threw the bag down to Caleb when a young woman intercepted it.
"What's this Malachi?" She said energetically.
"Go away Soda." Caleb said annoyed.
"It's not Soda! It's Sierra! 'Snot my fault that you're older than me!" Sierra pouted and stuck out her tongue. She shoved the pack into Caleb's chest and stormed off downstairs.
"What crawled up her ass?" Caleb asked looking down the path she went.
"You." Malachi said frankly and laid down on the loft with his feet dangling over the edge. Caleb gave Malachi a cold look before following Sierra downstairs. Malachi sat up and looked down at himself. He was disgusted.
The tan color of his shirt and his khakis were very dirty and had random holes. The soles of his shoes were wearing away and coming apart. At least he was just turning 16 and he was beginning to stop growing. His hair was a little past his ears and it annoyed the living shit out of him. He tucked it behind his ears and stood up.
"I need shears." He thought and looked around the loft. All he saw was a blunt knife but that would have to do. He began to chop his hair into a normal cut. He looked into a broken mirror on the other side of the attic. He thought that it could have been better, but it would have to do for the time being. He glanced down to the door and noticed something beneath it. A shadow was moving back and forth on the other side of the door. He hopped out of the loft and tiptoed over to the door. He knocked twice, which was the code knock, and waited for a reply. The shadow stopped moving all at once and there was a long silence. Malachi froze and watched the shadow. It was growing dark outside and the shadow was diminishing with the sun.
He began to panic and thought of the others that hadn't returned yet. He backed away from the door slowly without moving his gaze from the shadow.
"Open up." A voice from outside said in a feminine voice.
"Who's there?" Malachi said eying the shadow suspiciously.
"It's Drew. Open up."
"Password then." Malachi said trying not to show fear.
"Caleb rules," the being responded.
"HYBRID! THERE'S A HYBRID AT THE DOOR!" Malachi shouted and backed away. Immediately, a set of twins, one woman, one girl, one boy, Caleb, and Sierra came rushing upstairs with pitchforks and shovels. They looked like a clear force to be reckoned with except for Sierra's face. This would only be her second time helping out. She bit her lip and shivered nervously. Caleb patted her on the back encouragingly and readied his shovel. She gave him a fake smile and looked at the door.
Outside they heard a shrill scream and cries for help. A boy about 14 years old gulped and held his pitchfork tightly. Malachi kicked the door menacingly, warning the stalker not to harm their comrade.
"What will you give us for your friend human?" The voice commanded and turned deep and masculine. He must have done something to the girl outside because she shrieked again.
"My name isn't human it's Malachi. What do you want hybrid?"
"I want your weapons." The voice said again. Malachi looked at the fear shaken people behind him.
"Do I have your word that you won't attack in this exchange?" he said bravely. He seemed to be the only one in the room that wasn't terrified other than the adult.
"Yes and yours?"
"Yes. I'm going to open the doors now." Malachi stated and reached for the locks. He began to open the door and he looked outside. Before him stood a tall man with short blue hair and elfin ears. His cat-like red eyes gazed down at Malachi in narrow slits. The man had army boots, khaki cargo pants, and a blue t-shirt on. He was holding their friend Drew by her blonde hair in one hand and his other hand was clamped over her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide and were leaking tears.
"Now let her go." Malachi said fearlessly. He placed his shovel at the man's feet and put his arms out to grab Drew. The Hybrid dropped Drew in his arms and she hugged his neck tightly as though if she let go she would die. The rest of the soldiers put the weapons outside, not as close as Malachi had come mind you. Malachi walked back inside and put Drew down gingerly.
"Thank you for your weapons." The man said and smirked. "I am Hek. Let us exchange again sometime." Then he picked up his prize and left without a moment's hesitation. Caleb shut the door and locked it up. The 14-year-old boy ran over to the light switch and turned it on.
"Thanks Kyle." Malachi said to the boy and sat down at the base of the ladder.
"Now what do we do? We have no weapons!" a girl said and huddled close to the woman.
"We'll have to make new weapons. Or go to the abandon city that's west of here." Caleb spoke then looked at the woman. "Do we have enough supplies to travel there Christine?"
"I believe so, only if we make it a fast journey. The last time we tried to get there we lost two of our crew. We need to be prepared." The woman named Christine said and hugged the little girl beside her.
"But we have nothing to arm ourselves with!" the girl said and looked up at Christine.
"It's alright Amber. We'll go in a small enough group so that no stalkers could track us." Christine reassured. Amber nodded her head. She looked over at a boy and a girl that were sitting adjacent to her. They were twins and they were only a year younger than her. They were still shivering with fear.
"They're gone now you guys. What are you 3?"
"NO!" the first twin exclaimed. Her name was Francesca.
"Yeah! We're 13!" the second finished. His name was Malcolm.
"You haven't seen what they do to people!"
"They cut you open when you're still alive-"
"-and they take out your guts-"
"-and they talk to you like they're your friend!"
"It's scary! So don't make fun of us!"
"Well sorry! Just stop finishing each other's sentences it's really annoying." Amber responded picturing them being cut open by 'Hek'. She really didn't hate them that much, but they always liked to get on her nerves.
"Who's willing enough to go? We should only make it a party of three or less." Christine said informatively.
"I'll go. I'm not afraid of a little Hybrid." Malachi said bravely.
"I'll watch your back." Caleb said and put his hand on Malachi's shoulder.
"I'll go then." Drew said bravely. Though she was just captured, she was usually quite the good marksman when it came from shooting a bow and arrow. To bad they didn't have one handy.
"Did he take your weapon Drew?" Amber said hopefully.
"No. I dropped it when I was running from Hek." She said quietly while growing scarlet in embarrassment.
"That's great! Maybe he didn't pick it up!" Caleb exclaimed and jumped from his seat in excitement.
"Then it's settled. Caleb, Malachi, and Drew will get the bow and arrows tomorrow before dawn and head out to the abandon city. It will take a day's worth of supplies. Let's start packing." Christine said and stood up. She headed down to the basement as well as the rest of the children. The chosen stayed were they were.
"So. It's off to Murdock then."
?~?~?~?
So do you like it so far? I need to know if I should continue this story. I thought it was pretty good for a first story, ne? Well please review and constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you! Love yall!
Prologue
?~?~?~?
The cold autumn zephyr hit Malachi's face with intensity. He'd been raised here. On the last place anyone would ever want to be. HÃthia; the dead planet formally known as earth. No one knew that the last surviving group was there. No one cared. They were presumed dead.
Malachi was barely two years old when they came. When they came, destruction followed. They didn't even have a formal name. Some people called them 'Stalkers', some called them 'Creatures', but they were usually known as 'Hybrids'. The Hybrids swept over earth causing global panic. Some of the more wealthy people escaped to space, leaving everyone else behind.
No one even knew where they came from. That's probably because the only survivors were children that ranged from one to nineteen years of age. Some of the younger children thought they were from space and had come to enslave the earth like in the weekly Saturday Night Sci-fi flicks they saw on television. Others, thought a mad scientist created them. There was no way to prove either fact.
The Hybrids were known for one thing, shape-shifting. They got better and better as they went on, making it nearly impossible to make sure that the person you are holding a conversation with isn't a stalker in disguise. The only thing they couldn't conceal even if they tried is their ears. They were always elfin in shape if they were in human form. Other than that they were amazingly good at imitating humans. Their original form was that of any ordinary animal. They could only transform into living creatures making humans their main form.
Malachi looked forward into the golden wheat field. The sun was beginning to set over the hills in the distance. He panicked when thinking of not getting home in time and pushed back the auburn hair from his face. His jade eyes glanced back and forth. The coast was clear. It was now or never. He leapt from his hiding-place and raced in a frenzied sprint toward the farthest hill. He was nearly there when he tripped on a small rock. He lay still for a moment making sure that he was still alone. He felt eyes watching him. He quickly got up and raced to the hill. He climbed it and ran down the other side. He breathed in a sigh of relief when he saw the rotten barn a few yards away, but he didn't stop running. He knocked on the sliding door and was completely out of breath.
"Who's there?" a voice from the other side whispered.
"Malachi, *pant* open up!" he stuttered out looking around nervously.
"Can I trust that?" the voice said suspiciously.
"Yes! JUST OPEN UP!"
"Password."
Malachi sighed and glared at the door. "Caleb rules. NOW OPEN UP CALEB!" Malachi said hurriedly. The eyes that have been watching him for a while seemed to be coming closer. The door made random sounds while being unlocked and opened. Malachi rushed inside and slammed the door behind him. He locked it in every way possible. Caleb snickered and looked over at Malachi.
"Rough time out there kiddo?" Caleb said and patted the distraught runners back.
"I'm not a kiddo! I'm only younger than you by a year. Stop treating me like shit." Malachi huffed and walked over to the ladder connecting to the loft.
"Well someone's a bit angry today." Caleb said and scratched his blonde hair. His hazel eyes shifted to the cellar doors. "I'll be in the basement with the others. You on guard duty now?"
"Sure. Who's back from the hunt?" Malachi said and blinked drowsily.
"Francesca and Malcolm are back. They brought three rabbits and a squirrel. Drew still needs to come back. You catch anything?"
"No. I brought back berries and I found an abandon garden over by Chastity's Ridge. It had a few heads of lettuce and I got some turnips." Malachi said softly and pulled the items from his pack.
"That's good. We always need some greens. Throw 'em here and I'll put them in storage." Caleb said and held his hands out. Malachi threw the bag down to Caleb when a young woman intercepted it.
"What's this Malachi?" She said energetically.
"Go away Soda." Caleb said annoyed.
"It's not Soda! It's Sierra! 'Snot my fault that you're older than me!" Sierra pouted and stuck out her tongue. She shoved the pack into Caleb's chest and stormed off downstairs.
"What crawled up her ass?" Caleb asked looking down the path she went.
"You." Malachi said frankly and laid down on the loft with his feet dangling over the edge. Caleb gave Malachi a cold look before following Sierra downstairs. Malachi sat up and looked down at himself. He was disgusted.
The tan color of his shirt and his khakis were very dirty and had random holes. The soles of his shoes were wearing away and coming apart. At least he was just turning 16 and he was beginning to stop growing. His hair was a little past his ears and it annoyed the living shit out of him. He tucked it behind his ears and stood up.
"I need shears." He thought and looked around the loft. All he saw was a blunt knife but that would have to do. He began to chop his hair into a normal cut. He looked into a broken mirror on the other side of the attic. He thought that it could have been better, but it would have to do for the time being. He glanced down to the door and noticed something beneath it. A shadow was moving back and forth on the other side of the door. He hopped out of the loft and tiptoed over to the door. He knocked twice, which was the code knock, and waited for a reply. The shadow stopped moving all at once and there was a long silence. Malachi froze and watched the shadow. It was growing dark outside and the shadow was diminishing with the sun.
He began to panic and thought of the others that hadn't returned yet. He backed away from the door slowly without moving his gaze from the shadow.
"Open up." A voice from outside said in a feminine voice.
"Who's there?" Malachi said eying the shadow suspiciously.
"It's Drew. Open up."
"Password then." Malachi said trying not to show fear.
"Caleb rules," the being responded.
"HYBRID! THERE'S A HYBRID AT THE DOOR!" Malachi shouted and backed away. Immediately, a set of twins, one woman, one girl, one boy, Caleb, and Sierra came rushing upstairs with pitchforks and shovels. They looked like a clear force to be reckoned with except for Sierra's face. This would only be her second time helping out. She bit her lip and shivered nervously. Caleb patted her on the back encouragingly and readied his shovel. She gave him a fake smile and looked at the door.
Outside they heard a shrill scream and cries for help. A boy about 14 years old gulped and held his pitchfork tightly. Malachi kicked the door menacingly, warning the stalker not to harm their comrade.
"What will you give us for your friend human?" The voice commanded and turned deep and masculine. He must have done something to the girl outside because she shrieked again.
"My name isn't human it's Malachi. What do you want hybrid?"
"I want your weapons." The voice said again. Malachi looked at the fear shaken people behind him.
"Do I have your word that you won't attack in this exchange?" he said bravely. He seemed to be the only one in the room that wasn't terrified other than the adult.
"Yes and yours?"
"Yes. I'm going to open the doors now." Malachi stated and reached for the locks. He began to open the door and he looked outside. Before him stood a tall man with short blue hair and elfin ears. His cat-like red eyes gazed down at Malachi in narrow slits. The man had army boots, khaki cargo pants, and a blue t-shirt on. He was holding their friend Drew by her blonde hair in one hand and his other hand was clamped over her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide and were leaking tears.
"Now let her go." Malachi said fearlessly. He placed his shovel at the man's feet and put his arms out to grab Drew. The Hybrid dropped Drew in his arms and she hugged his neck tightly as though if she let go she would die. The rest of the soldiers put the weapons outside, not as close as Malachi had come mind you. Malachi walked back inside and put Drew down gingerly.
"Thank you for your weapons." The man said and smirked. "I am Hek. Let us exchange again sometime." Then he picked up his prize and left without a moment's hesitation. Caleb shut the door and locked it up. The 14-year-old boy ran over to the light switch and turned it on.
"Thanks Kyle." Malachi said to the boy and sat down at the base of the ladder.
"Now what do we do? We have no weapons!" a girl said and huddled close to the woman.
"We'll have to make new weapons. Or go to the abandon city that's west of here." Caleb spoke then looked at the woman. "Do we have enough supplies to travel there Christine?"
"I believe so, only if we make it a fast journey. The last time we tried to get there we lost two of our crew. We need to be prepared." The woman named Christine said and hugged the little girl beside her.
"But we have nothing to arm ourselves with!" the girl said and looked up at Christine.
"It's alright Amber. We'll go in a small enough group so that no stalkers could track us." Christine reassured. Amber nodded her head. She looked over at a boy and a girl that were sitting adjacent to her. They were twins and they were only a year younger than her. They were still shivering with fear.
"They're gone now you guys. What are you 3?"
"NO!" the first twin exclaimed. Her name was Francesca.
"Yeah! We're 13!" the second finished. His name was Malcolm.
"You haven't seen what they do to people!"
"They cut you open when you're still alive-"
"-and they take out your guts-"
"-and they talk to you like they're your friend!"
"It's scary! So don't make fun of us!"
"Well sorry! Just stop finishing each other's sentences it's really annoying." Amber responded picturing them being cut open by 'Hek'. She really didn't hate them that much, but they always liked to get on her nerves.
"Who's willing enough to go? We should only make it a party of three or less." Christine said informatively.
"I'll go. I'm not afraid of a little Hybrid." Malachi said bravely.
"I'll watch your back." Caleb said and put his hand on Malachi's shoulder.
"I'll go then." Drew said bravely. Though she was just captured, she was usually quite the good marksman when it came from shooting a bow and arrow. To bad they didn't have one handy.
"Did he take your weapon Drew?" Amber said hopefully.
"No. I dropped it when I was running from Hek." She said quietly while growing scarlet in embarrassment.
"That's great! Maybe he didn't pick it up!" Caleb exclaimed and jumped from his seat in excitement.
"Then it's settled. Caleb, Malachi, and Drew will get the bow and arrows tomorrow before dawn and head out to the abandon city. It will take a day's worth of supplies. Let's start packing." Christine said and stood up. She headed down to the basement as well as the rest of the children. The chosen stayed were they were.
"So. It's off to Murdock then."
?~?~?~?
So do you like it so far? I need to know if I should continue this story. I thought it was pretty good for a first story, ne? Well please review and constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you! Love yall!